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| By Ianpassion |
This Easter Sunday, I am reflecting on the disclosure of the Father’s heart carried along throughout this event.
History tells us that in 2000 years ago during the Roman empire, Someone claimed He is the Messiah, followed by many people, and who was brought to trial and crucified even though He did nothing wrong. He died, buried, and on the third day, He resurrected. This is the beginning of the narrative of the resurrection.
This resurrection Sunday, three things that I am pondering somewhat overlooked by many.
First, the resurrection of the Son invites us to reflect the Garden of Eden. You might not notice that the place the Son was buried there was a garden (John 19:41-42). I believe He was buried there for a purpose. It was the perfect place because it is parallel what was in the beginning. Mankind was commissioned to extend the dominion of love throughout the garden and the entire creation. However, mankind failed and ate the fruit of the forbidden- the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. As a result, sin came into this world and man hid from His loving Father.
In the former garden, the woman became the weakest entry point of the devil. However, on the resurrection day the empty tomb in the garden, the woman became the strongest entry point of the Father’s love. It was revealed first to the woman that the Son is alive. He is the tree of life. His resurrection tells us that He is committed to us. The former tree that brought death to mankind is replaced with the tree of life – The Begotten Son of the Abba Father. The Son told Mary not to cry anymore because He is now alive, He lives forever, and His unconditional love is available for everybody who believes (John 20: 14-16).
Second, the resurrection of the Son helps us to realize that He could reveal Himself in a natural way like a gardener (John 20:13-15). When Mary was weeping over the empty tomb, a stranger standing behind her back whom she supposed a farmer or a gardener was actually the risen Savior. He was the Son whom she was looking for. However, she did not recognize Him because He appeared to her like a normal person.
This event tells us that not in all circumstances, the appearance of the Son are accompanied with radiant lights and angelic hosts – like what you see often in the movie. The resurrected Son talked to Mary in a natural voice and appeared to her in human formation. No wonder why Mary did not recognize Him. If we put high expectations on the look of the Son only in the spectacular and extraordinary, then we might miss the opportunity of the real encounter with our risen savior- the Begotten Son. For further reading, Mathew 25:35-46.
Lastly, the resurrection of the Son affirms our identity as sons and daughters of our loving Father. I believe that the resurrection message, narrating Mary Magdalene in the garden where the tomb was empty and her conversation with the Son, contains much more. It is in this resurrection time that once again it affirms who we are in the Father through our union with the Begotten Son.
His message has brought a touchy realization to Mary, and should be to all of us:
“…but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God," (John 20:17).
The words of the Son confirmed the reality of our identity by restoring our original status as sons and daughters of the loving Father through His resurrection. His resurrection tore down the curtain, reconciled us with the Father, and restored our sonship relationship with the Almighty Abba.
The Son made it clear to Mary and to every believer our identity. Who are we? We are His precious children that He died and rose for. We are coheirs of Him and heaven is available for us. Whatever we bind here on earth will be also bound in heaven, and whatever we release here on earth will be also released in heaven.
